Two Saint Louis University sports programs added assistants this past week. SLU men’s basketball coach Lorenzo Romar named Brad Soderberg assistant basketball coach and SLU volleyball coach Marilyn Nolen named Alan Ursillo assistant volleyball coach.

Soderberg will begin his coaching duties next Monday, while Ursillo began participating in practice earlier this week.

“I got a call from Romar, and I didn’t have any head coaching jobs on the burner,” Soderberg said. “We hit it off really well personally, it was a good match.”

Soderberg was the interim coach at the University of Wisconsin last season after Dick Bennett resigned shortly after the season began.

“Anytime you can get someone who has learned under Dick Bennett, one of the best coaches in the country, it is going to help raise the level of your program,” Romar stated in a release.

During his tenure at Wisconsin, the Badgers led the NCAA in scoring defense. “We’re used to stopping people,” Soderberg said.

Soderberg’s defensive knowledge is crucial after the departure of SLU assistant Randy Bennett. Romar called Bennett his “Buddy Ryan” because his understanding of the intricacies of good defense.

“He had the whole package-sideline knowledge, teaching ability in the practice gym and the ability to relate to players and people in general,” Romar stated.

Bennett left the Billikens to take the head coaching position at St. Mary’s College in Moraga, Calif.

Filling in Bennett’s shoes will be no easy task for Soderberg.

“I’m going to do whatever coach Romar wants me to do,” Soderberg said.

“Being a head coach last year I had to deal with everything, not just one side of the ball.”

After spending the past five years in the Big Ten, Soderberg is looking forward to matching wits with some of the best coaches in the country.

“This is an excellent conference. With the addition of Rick Pitino and John Calipari and the other coaches already there, it has become really attractive from a coaching standpoint,” Soderberg said.

Soderberg will go up against some of the best coaches in the country, but finds one of the best on the sideline with him.

“I was really impressed with where Romar wants to take the team,” Soderberg said. “I’m excited.”

Coaching involves more than patrolling the sideline and running practice, recruiting is a large part of a coach’s job and Soderberg is known to be a good recruiter.

“He is a relentless recruiter with numerous Midwest ties,” Romar stated.

“I know a lot of people in the Midwest. Hopefully with Romar’s ties in the West and mine I think we can draw kids to Saint Louis University,” Soderberg said.

Drawing high-quality recruits will also be a focus for Ursillo. Filling the position left by Santiago Restrepo, Ursillo has spent the past six years as the volleyball coach at Helix High School in La Mesa, Calif.

During his tenure as coach, Ursillo’s team posted a 111-48 record. His squad won a gold medal in the 18-year-old division earlier this year.

Ursillo has won at every level he’s participated in and looks to bring that to SLU.

“I wanted to try my hand at college coaching and this opportunity presented itself,” Ursillo said.

“I haven’t lost at any level and I don’t plan to start now.”

“That’s his strength,” said volleyball coach Marilyn Nolen.

“He’s a go-getter. He’s hit the ground running.”

Ursillo began working with the team this week and likes what he sees. “They’re a tremendous group of athletes. Mentally, they’ll be a lot tougher next season.”

“They have to believe they can win at a high level and once they believe that they’ll win those close games. Whoever focuses the longest during the match, usually wins,” Ursillo said.

By practicing what he preaches, Ursillo has been successful at the many different career paths he has chosen.

“I played semi-pro baseball in Texas for a while and then went to work,” Ursillo said.

Ursillo is also a member of the Screen Actors Guild. “I was an actor for ten years. That was my career when I was 30 till I turned 40. I did some soap operas and movies.

“I gave it 10 years and I realized I could make a living. But I wasn’t going to be a major star and make a lot of money, so I went into real estate and made a lot of money. But that’s not where my heart is, my heart has always been in sports,” Ursillo said.

Success follows Ursillo no matter where he’s going or what he’s doing, and Nolen is looking forward to letting him work.

“He has this week and the next to interact with the team. He’ll work mostly with our setters and our offense,” Nolen said.

By working with the team before summer break hits, the team will become somewhat familiar with his style. “Santiago didn’t get to work with the team till August so anytime he [Ursillo] has is valuable,” Nolen said.